Lawmakers plan to keep Michigan wetlands program

LANSING, MI – Michigan would continue to run its own wetlands protection program under terms of a state budget bill that could soon come up for a vote in the state Legislature.

A conference committee made up of House and Senate members approved a version of the natural resources and environmental quality budget Tuesday. It will come up for a vote in the Legislature after the committee approves a new version to correctthe funding source for keeping the program.

The bill would provide $2 million a year for the wetlands program through Michigan's bottle deposit collections.

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm has proposed turning over wetlands regulation to the federal government to save about $2 million a year.